Father Who Assaulted 40-Year-Old Son With 23cm Tool Given Suspended Sentence

▲ Busan District Court

A court has handed down a suspended prison sentence to a man in his 70s who interfered with his 40-year-old son's relationship, assaulted him with a tool, and confined him by binding his hands and feet.

Busan District Court Judge Park Byung-joo announced on August 26 that he sentenced a man in his 70s, identified as A, to two years in prison with three years of probation on charges of special injury and confinement.

The court also ordered A to undergo two years of probation and attend a 40-hour domestic violence recidivism prevention lecture.

According to the ruling, A lived with his 42-year-old son, B, and believed his son had become neglectful of him after starting a romantic relationship.

A repeatedly demanded that his son break up with his girlfriend, leading to arguments when the son refused.

On June 10, because his anger did not subside even as his son apologized, A took out a 23-centimeter-long tool and repeatedly struck his son's back with it.

He then wrapped a belt around his son's neck, dragged him into the main bedroom, and bound his son's hands and feet with tape.

The son was confined for an hour and a half until the police arrived at the home, and sustained multiple abrasions requiring about three weeks of medical treatment due to the assault.

In the past, the son had temporarily quit his job and received severance pay because of his father's bicycle racing gambling funds.

Judge Park stated, "The defendant has treated the victim based on a distorted affection, controlling and suppressing the victim's personal life even after he became an adult," adding, "It appears that even prior to this incident, he has exercised inappropriate physical force against the victim and the victim's younger sister."

The judge also noted, "The defendant attributes the cause of this incident to 'misunderstandings arising from family history issues with the victim' and 'accidental assault that occurred during the process of disciplining the victim as a child,'" and stated, "There is considerable doubt as to whether the defendant is genuinely reflecting on this crime."

However, the judge added that the sentence was determined by taking into consideration that the victim clearly expressed in court that he did not want his father to be punished, and that the defendant's daughter also petitioned for leniency.

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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